Decade-long link delivers for Portadown boss Niall Currie to end losing run
Niall Currie’s decade-old stock in Steven McCullough paid dividends just three minutes into a 1-0 weekend win for Portadown that managed to stop the rot following four successive defeats.
The experienced McCullough stepped up to ultimately settle Saturday’s derby delight over Loughgall with a superb curling free-kick finish which provided the Ports a platform towards welcome winning ways.
Currie was left celebrating the end product from the 30-year-old set-piece specialist that marked McCullough’s most recent delivery since signing on over the summer at Shamrock Park.
That goal pushed newly-promoted Portadown up to sixth spot in the Sports Direct Premiership following a fortnight to forget – with Currie full of praise for a match-winning player he first encountered in 2013.
"He's quality, a player I've admired for a very long time,” said Currie. "I had Steven on loan at Ards as an 18-year-old...then he was a wee bit raw, as you would expect.
"But I've watched him at close lengths for a long, long time and the opportunity when we heard Stevie was maybe interested in moving on (from Ballymena United) was one I was all over, with a lot of credit going to Davy Douglas (Portadown’s team analyst).
"It's not only his football ability...Stevie's a great athlete and great character, a physical specimen.
"We have him for a few years after this and he's well worthy of a three-year deal...a top, top pro."
That one moment of magic served to settle a derby date which reflected two sides struggling for form – with Loughgall bottom of the top-flight table.
"I'm sure that game was terrible on the eyes but sitting in situations like that you just what to see it out,” said Currie. "First and foremost you want to get back to the basics we showed at the start of the season.
"Gary Thompson makes a huge difference towards that...I've said it many, many times - absolute warrior.
"He just gives you that extra bite, that extra competitiveness...we've missed him.
"Special mention to Aaron Traynor...he was outstanding.
"We got really good reports from the under 20s about his attitude and performances.
"He has come in, having been left out of the squad for a month-and-a-half, straight into the team.
"He deserved his chance and he's earned that opportunity.
"He made one mistake before half-time but, overall, dealt with everything."
Having grabbed the game’s only goal in the opening moments of the first half, Portadown kicked off the second with an attacking aggression which dropped off as play progressed towards the final whistle.
"I think it naturally happens...you can hear me on the sideline shouting 'get us 10 yards higher',” said Currie, who felt the call to rule out an injury-time Loughgall equaliser as “100 per cent they got the decision right”. "But players in the last 15 or 20 minutes and Loughgall throwing people on then automatically it becomes a 'keep what we have' scenario.
"We've seen it through...it's one of those you dig in."